No rushing for the Br-exit at Karine’s

Whatever the outcome of Brexit negotiations, French foodie Karine Lassourreuille is determined to remain in her adopted Edinburgh community.

For customers at her busy Morningside deli, the only “hard or soft” options that matter at the moment are those in her fabled cheese counter.

When the business came up for sale three years ago, she and her family were operating a small farm in East Lothian – tending to pigs, sheep, geese, chickens and growing their own vegetables.

“I am French and I have always loved food. I knew the shop and buying it was an opportunity to get back to my roots and share my love of food with other people,” says Karine, originally from Bordeaux.

While the deli offers a wide range of meats, pates, cheese, bread, wine and patisserie, French music and the aroma of freshly roasted coffee combine to provide a friendly and cosy atmosphere. And it’s thanks to the loyalty of her regulars that Karine’s business has continued to thrive in the aftermath of the in-out referendum.

“As the value of the pound dropped, the cost of importing French produce increased. I managed to absorb some of the price increases, but in other cases I have had no choice but to pass on the increase to customers,” she adds. “Thankfully they like what we do and most have been understanding – but it has been challenging.”

Karine and her team are already preparing for the busy festive season, when demand is high for free-range turkeys, foodie gifts and luxury hampers. With no plans to leave Edinburgh, she is quietly confident that the deli will have a future after Brexit. “I am working hard to make a success of the business and it’s giving people jobs, so hopefully, they won’t throw me out,” she says. Karine’s Deli, 376 Morningside Rd, 0131 447 8877, karinedeli.com. Open Mon-Sat, 8.30am-5pm; Sun, 9am-4.30pm.